Watching Pretty Lethal, Amazon Prime’s latest action original, I couldn’t help but think those behind it must have sat down with Abigail, watched a young vampire tearing people apart in a ballet outfit… and thought:
“Yeah… let’s do that — but make it John Wick crossed with Green Room.”
And honestly? – That’s exactly what this feels like — a silly action romp that’ll be completely forgotten once the final credits roll, but a perfectly serviceable watch when you’re just in the mood for a quick thrill.
Plot-wise, it’s very basic.
A troupe of teenage ballerinas head off to Budapest for a performance they’ve trained their whole lives for — but, of course, tensions are already bubbling within the group.
On one side, you’ve got the street-wise Bones (Maddie Ziegler), and on the other, the rich and privileged Princess (Lana Condor). There’s an immediate clash between them — and that resentment only grows as things unfold.
Along for the ride is Grace (Avantika), as well as sisters Zoe (Iris Apatow) and her deaf sister Chloe (Millicent Simmonds).
And yes — Chloe’s condition is very much used for tension, with moments where she’s completely unaware of what’s unfolding around her.
Recalling shades of the underrated ‘90s actioner Judgment Night, their bus breaks down and they find themselves in the wrong part of town — an establishment run by a horde of gangsters, led by Uma Thurman, who just so happens to be a former ballerina herself.
That small plot device alone leads to an action moment so ridiculous, it’ll likely leave you just shaking your head in disbelief.
It’s all harmless fun as we watch these girls fight back — using razor blades as part of their dance routines, bringing the kind of graphic violence that those easily pleased will no doubt watch with a grin on their face.
The energetic tone means the film never really feels dull, and you do somehow find yourself rooting for these girls as they go up against increasingly unlikely odds.
And it’s hard to criticise a film where the young cast are clearly having an absolute riot… even as the blood sprays across the screen.
And while the outcome is never really in doubt, what we get is 90 minutes of fight after fight — nothing that’ll have John Wick looking over his shoulder, but arguably a bit more fun than the recent Ballerina spin-off from that universe.
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